7 Mistakes Founders Make When Hiring an App Development Company

Therefore, they turn to app development companies like ourselves to bring their vision to life. But choosing the wrong app development company can lead to costly mistakes and wasted time. In this blog, we'll discuss the 7 biggest mistakes that founders make when hiring an app development company, so you can avoid them and ensure a successful app development process.

1. Prioritising Price Over Skills.

Hiring an app development company solely on price is one of the biggest mistakes many founders make. While cost is a crucial aspect, it should not be the only factor considered when selecting a company to develop your app.

Many founders make the mistake of opting for the cheapest option when selecting a mobile app development agency. However, this can lead to disappointment later in the project when the finished product doesn’t meet their expectations or startup needs. When making a decision, it's imperative to take into account all aspects of the project rather than just choosing the cheapest option.

Cheap app development services may seem attractive but often come with hidden costs, such as poor quality, delayed timelines, poor planning and inadequate support. For example, we believe wireframing a project is an essential component in the planning phase and yet some don’t even bother doing this. Low-priced app development companies may cut corners leading to a lower-quality end product that could ultimately harm your brand, reputation and ultimately your bottom line and may even lead you to have to start all over again!

Of course, we understand cost is a major consideration, but investing in high-quality mobile app development for business can yield significant returns in the long run. If you receive an out-of-range quote for your budget, don’t be afraid to discuss it with the agency to see if a more achievable price can be reached.

However, it's equally important to have realistic expectations and not settle for the lowest price. Choosing the cheapest option may result in issues like slow performance and conversions rate, requiring additional work or even a complete revamp down the road, ultimately leading to higher costs.

Don’t compromise your app quality for low-cost mobile app development. The initial low price could cost more if your development team doesn’t deliver the expected application. Choose a company that offers a fair price for their services and provides the quality of work that meets your expectations.

2. Choosing An App Development Company That Doesn’t Understand Your Vision.

When creating a mobile app for your business, the app development company you choose must understand your vision and goals for the project. However, founders often make the mistake of choosing a company that doesn't fully understand their vision, which may lead to frustration and disappointment in the final product.

One of the primary reasons why this mistake occurs is that founders don't take the time to communicate their vision effectively. They may assume that the development agency understands their business and industry well enough to create an app that meets their needs. However, this is often not the case, but it’s not their fault!

The right app development company will lead the founder, ask the right questions, and understand all of their insights - get this wrong, and the whole project could potentially be affected further down the line. For us, this is probably one of the most crucial stages and forms a critical part of our initial planning phase. You can find a summary of our app development process here.

It's crucial to communicate your vision clearly to the development team, but equally, it’s our responsibility to lead and extract your vision into a development roadmap and plan. Taking the time to understand what your business does, who your target audience is, and what you hope to achieve with the app is vital.

Another way to ensure that the app development company understands your vision is to work collaboratively throughout the development process. Regular check-ins and updates can ensure the developers are on the right track and aligned with your vision. You should also provide feedback on each stage of the development process, so the company can make adjustments as needed.

3. Not Considering the Branding of Your App.

Time and time again, our agency is approached by founders wanting help with their technology before even considering their branding first. Rushing the branding process or neglecting it altogether is a common mistake we often see, which can cause great applications to fail.

By investing time and resources into your app’s branding, you can reap long-term benefits, helping your app to stand out in a crowded market, connect with your target audience and create a loyal customer base. Here are some ways they can help:

• Brand strategy: A good development agency will work with you to understand your startup’s brand identity and create a strategy that aligns with your business objectives. They will help you identify your target audience, develop a unique selling proposition, and create brand messaging that resonates with your customers.
• Brand design: A mobile app’s visual identity is an essential element of its branding. An app development company can help you design a visually appealing logo, choose a colour scheme, and typography and create an overall look and feel that matches your startup’s brand identity.
• User experience: A critical aspect of branding is the user experience. A good app development company will ensure that your app’s user interface, user experience and functionality align with your brand messaging and create a seamless and memorable user experience.

Partnering with an app development agency with experience in branding, design and marketing can be an excellent way for entrepreneurs to create a strong and consistent brand identity for their apps. From brand strategy to design, user experience and ongoing support, an app development team with more than just technical expertise can provide startups with the tools and expertise they need to succeed in the competitive market.

4. Overlooking Communication.

Effective communication is key when working with an app development agency. It's crucial to maintain regular communication when hiring an app development company to ensure the project is on track and that any issues are addressed promptly. Effective communication between the startup and the app development company can help avoid misunderstandings and missed deadlines, and it's essential for building a successful working relationship.

Both parties should be clear about their expectations, and there should be a clear understanding of the scope of the project, the timeline, and the budget. Startups should also make sure that they are comfortable with the communication channels being used, such as email, phone, or video conferencing, and that they are easily accessible to their development team.